miles



No. 6l2,524. Patented Oct. l8, I898.

A. 8. MILES.

MACHINE FOR DRAGGING BRISTLES.

' (Application filed Feb. 24, 1597.

(N0 Modal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

INVENTORZ WITNESSES f W 3,, i umm 'No. 6|2,524. Patented Oct. I8, [8 98.A. 8. MILES. MACHINE FUR DBAGGING BRISTLES; (Application filed Feb. 24,1897.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-8heet 2.

N0. 6|2,524. Patented 001. I3, I898.

A. 8. MILES. MACHINE FOR DBAGGING BRISTLES.

(Applicationflled Feb. 24, 1897.)

s sheets-sheet 3.

(No Model.)

INVENTOIR:

WITNESSES:

By n

.flttorney.

Warren fi'ra'rns ATENT @rrrcn.

MACHINE FOR DRAGGING BRISTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,524, dated October18, 1898. Application filed February 24, 1897. Serial No. 624,879. Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED S. MILES, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Dragging Bristles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for dragging bristles, and has for itsobject the production of a simple and efficient machine which willautomatically accomplish the desired work with rapidity, certainty, anduniformity, superseding the hand process with advantages in the mattersof convenience and economy and delivering the bristles of assortedlengths in separate piles.

I11 dragging bristles by hand process the operator holds a bunch in onehand against his body, the bristles having been previously arranged withflag ends in one direction and butt-ends in the other, and drags outwith the other hand a few at. a time, thumping the butts to keep themeven and constantly combing and sizing the remaining bunch against ascale. The bunch is usuallydragged down by this slow and tedious processabout a quarter of an inch for each required length of bristles untilthe last couple of inches or so are reached. According to the length ofbristles commenced with will the number of different sizes or lengthsvary. The operation is not only irksome, but expensive, because of thetime and skilled labor required to do the work properly. By use of mymachine the operation is much shortened,and the work is accomplishedmuch more perfectly than can be done by hand.

To accomplish the above-indicated objects and to secure other andfurther advantages in the matters of construction, operation, and

use, my improvements involve certain novel and useful combinations orarrangements of parts and principles of operation, as will be hereinfirst fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a machine constructed andarranged for operation in accordance with my invention and involving myimprovements.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front eleva tion showing the entiremachine ready for operation. Fig. 2 is an end view illustrating moreparticularly the means employed for changing theinclination of thedragging-rolls. Fig. 3 is an elevation upon a plane cutting throughbetween two of the partitions. Fig. 4 is a plan view corresponding withFig. 1, a portion of the partitions being broken away. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of a fragment, showing the carrying-belts; and Fig. 6 is acrosssection indicatingthe manner in which the bristles are seized bythe dragging-rolls. Fig. 7 is atop view corresponding with Fig. 5, andFig. 8 is a top view of parts shown in Fig. 6. The last four figures areupon a scale considerably larger than the previous figures.

In all the figures like letters of reference, 1

wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts. i

The bristles, first straightened and arranged with their flag ends inone direction and butt-ends in the other, are rapidly and easilydeliveredto the machine by placing them upon the feeding portionthereof, by which they are carried along between two belts, theprojecting flag ends being seized by the dragging-rolls as soon as theyreach the other, whereby the bristles would become inclined and thenceescape the grasp of the dragging-rolls at the point of travel where theyshould be seized.

A and B are two pulleys for driving the belts, and these are providedwith teethwhich enter perforations in the belts, and thus compel'themalways to move as the pulleys are moved. The two pulleys are driven atthe same rate of speed by worm-gears on a single shaft 0, and the shaftis driven from any source of power, as through belt 0.

D D are feeding-belts driven by a pulley or pulleys on the same shaftthat carries pulley A. and are the same size as that pulley,

and these, together with the portion of belt A beyond belt B, constitutethe feeding end of the machine.

The bristles are placed upon the feeding end with their butts againstthe back piece or board E and spread more or less by the hand of theoperator, that they may not enter between the carrier-belts in bunches.No especial skill is required for feeding or operating the machine.

The bristles, fed as above explained, travel with and between thecarrier-belts. To prevent them from being too easily dragged from theirtraveling position, whereby they would be projected in bunches, theyshould be restrained by a slight pressure or resistance, such as aslight spring or weight pres- The means shown for providing thisresistance pressure is the simplest and best I have been able to devise.Upon the upper belt and between the teeth thereon is secured a rubber orother elastic tube F, and this, bein gsli ghtly com pressed between thetwo belts, affords the desired restraining power and operates in a veryperfect manner. It presses upon the line of bristles uniformly andrequires no attention or adjustment.

The carrier-belts travel between ways provided for them, as shown inFig. 6, wherein G G are strips having slightly-projectin g faces I),which latter keep the belts in line, the under face affording a slightstraight edge upon which the bristles are carried, so as to keep them ina substantially uniform projecting layer.

In Figs. 6 and 8 the bristles are represented at a.

H and H are two dragging-rolls mounted in front of the path of themoving bristles, and these rolls are driven at a much higher rate ofspeed than the carrierbelts. The lower roll H is preferably made ofrubber or faced with rubber, so as to provide a surface which willcertainly drag the bristles. The upper roll may be made of metal and ispreferably so mounted that it can bear always with its full weight uponthe lower one or upon the layer of bristles between the two. The lowerroll is driven as by a belt H the upper one simply by frictionalcontact. The two rolls are inclined toward the carryingbelts, asindicated.

As the bristles are carried along the longest of them are first seizedbetween the dragging-rolls and drawn out from among the remainder andrapidly projected forward, and so each bristle is dragged out as soon asit reaches a point in its travel where it projects between the rolls,the shortest bristles last of all. Those which are too short to reachbetween the rolls are discharged at the end of the machine, falling downany suitable chute which may be provided for themas, for in stance, atI. To prevent these from clinging to the belts, an arm or scraper d ismounted so as to enter between the pins on the lower belt A, and thusremove them from that belt. As soon as the belt B leaves the other belton its return movement the elastic tube F assumes its normal extensionand forces the bristles out from between the teeth or studs on thatbelt. They then fall upon the scraper and are delivered in a mannerreadily understood.

The dragging-rolls are adjustable toward and from the carrier-belts ateither or both ends to vary their inclination with respect to saidbelts, thus to adapt the machine for dragging bristles of any length andto regulate the gradations of the dragged bristles between the longestat one end and the shortest at the other. For accomplishing theseadjustments the rolls are journaled at each end in yokes K, from whichthey may be dismounted whenever required. The yokes are pivoted at eachend in a frame made ad j ustable back and forth through the medium of ahand-screw L, passing through the back piece M of the frame. The upperand lower members of the frame are guided in a suitable manner, as bypassing through a stationary piece N, and either or both ends of thepair of rolls may be moved by simply turning the proper screw or screws.On adj usting the rolls the pivoted yokes automatically assume theproper position to prevent cramping of the journals.

The dragged bristles are projected into separate bins or compartments ofnumber according to the extent of the assortment re-v quired. Thegreater the number the closer will the length of bristles in onecorrespond with that of those in the next compartment. The lengths inthe different bins vary by quarter inches usually, but may be more orless.

The partitions are simple light boards or other material, (representedat O 0.) These are sustained by simple frames P P, upon which aresliding clamps Q, adapted to receive the partitions. The clamps may befixed in place by ordinary set-screws and they admit of the partitionsbeing set at any desired point on the frames.

The bristles are gathered from the different bins and need to be againarranged or butted, when they are ready for use.

The improved bristle-dragging machine is found to do the required workaccurately, quickly, and economically and to answer all the purposes andobjects of the invention previously alluded to.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with revoluble dragging-rolls, of a bristle-carriercomprising two endless belts arranged to travel adjacent to each otherat one side and provided with studs or pins and means for moving saidcarrier lengthwise of and adjacent to said rolls,whereby some of thebristles held by the carrier will be caught between said rolls anddragged from the carrier, substantially as described.

2. The combination with revoluble dragging-rolls and driving connectionswhereby they are driven at a high speed, of a bristle carrier upon whichthe bristles are frictionally held, and means for moving the carrierlengthwise of and adjacent to the draggingrolls at a relatively lowspeed, Wherebythe bristles are each Withdrawn from the carrier with ajerking movement, and Without disturbing those of a shorter lengthadjacent thereto.

3. In a bristle-dragging machine, the combination with thebristle-carrying belts, of means substantially as described forproducing a yielding pressure upon the bristles being carried, for thepurposes set forth.

4.. In a bristle-dragging machine, the combination with thebristle-carrying belts, of the elastic tube applied on one of said beltsand arranged to operate substantially as explained.

5. In a bristle-dragging machine, the combination with the carrier-beltsand means for producing a yielding pressure upon the bristles carried bythem, of dragging-rolls located opposite the belts and made adjustableat either or both ends toward or from the belts, substantially in themanner and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a bristle-dragging machine, the drag ging-rolls, thecarrier-belts, and means for producing a yielding pressure upon thebristles carried by said belts, the same combined with means foroperating the rolls and belts, one of the rolls being driven by contactwith the other and. both adjustable toward and from the carrier-belts,substantially as explained.

7. In a bristle-dragging machine, the dragging-rolls combined with thebristle carrierbelts, said rolls being journaled in movable bearings ateither end and the bearings mounted in adjustable frames, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a bristle-dragging machine, the combination with the carrier-beltsand means for producing a yielding pressure upon the bristles, of therevolving rolls for separating the bristles and projecting them from thecarrier, and partitions arranged in front of the dragging-rolls todivide the bristles, substan tially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county and Stateof New York, this 18th day ofJanuary, A. D.

ALFRED S. MILES.

Witnesses:

W. J. MORGAN, WORTH Osooon.

